The United Nations and its partners on Monday unveiled their 2026 global humanitarian appeal, setting aside $64.9 million specifically for Pakistan to support 1.9 million vulnerable people.
The allocation is part of a massive $33 billion plan designed to protect communities affected by wars, climate disasters, disease outbreaks, earthquakes and crop failures across the world.
The immediate objective is to raise $23 billion to give 87 million people life-saving aid, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
The global appeal, known as the ‘2026 Response Plan’ with the theme “Life by Life,” intends to reach 135 million people over the course of the year through six refugee and migrant response plans and 23 nation operations.
98 million people still received aid in 2025, according to UNOCHA, despite a lack of funds and an increase in attacks on aid workers.
The largest individual appeal for 2026 is for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, where the UN estimates that $4.1 billion is needed to help three million people who are dealing with previously unheard-of levels of violence and devastation.
The greatest regional plan covers Syria, which requires $2.8 billion to help 8.6 million people, while Sudan, which has the biggest displacement disaster in the world, needs $2.9 billion for approximately 20 million people.
The UN emphasized that there were significant financial setbacks in 2025, with the $12 billion raised being the lowest amount in ten years. Consequently, compared to 2024, 25 million fewer people were reached.
The effects have been catastrophic: millions of people have been left without financial support, protective services, or even basic housing, health institutions have disintegrated under pressure, hunger has increased, and mine-clearing activities have stagnated. Throughout the year, around 320 relief workers the majority of whom were local employees were killed.
The new appeal, according to UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher, focuses on allocating resources “life by life” and transforming humanitarian efforts to be more effective and locally driven.
“We’re shifting power to local organisations, directing more funding straight to communities, and reimagining humanitarian action with idealism and hope,” he added.